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42 Phonebox Magazine | October 2024One of the areas of your home that has a really hard time over the summer is the patio. And as the warm days and nights become cooler, now is the time to give it a good clean.TIME TO CLEAN THE PATIO If you are lucky enough to have a patio at your house, you%u2019ll know how popular they become during the spring and summer months. A useful space, usually between the back of the home and the garden, the patio is a perfect area for al fresco eating, relaxing with a cool drink, sunbathing, entertaining the children and grandchildren and even star gazing.And all of this activity can prove messy over time. Spilt drinks, dropped food, a splash of sun cream %u2013 it doesn%u2019t take long before the patio needs a good clean to bring it back to its sparkling self again.And even if there is not much in the way of staining, a patio still needs some attention, such as weeding, to help keep it in good condition and off ering great service for many years.You don%u2019t need a pressure washer to do this. And it can be done with soapy water and not a drop of bleach in sight. Here%u2019s ho1. REMOVE WEEDS When weeds take root under patio slabs and bricks, and between the joints, they can do serious damage, gradually weakening the structure. They must be dealt with before they properly take root. Pull up as much of the weed and its root as possible by hand. To tackle tough weeds, you might need a weed killer, or try pouring boiling water on them. This will blanch and kill the roots.2. SOAPY WATER With weeds gone, you can now tackle the surface of the stonework. Most of this can be done with a stiff brush and some warm, soapy water. Washing up liquid is one option but whatever cleaning fl uid you use, check the instructions as some can damage paving materials.3. CLEANING SOLUTION ONStart by pouring some of the solution on the patio and then give it a good scrub. If in any doubt always try a small hidden area fi rst to make sure there%u2019s going to be no lasting damage caused by the cleaner. Scrub the area and rinse down initially with clean water. Try to brush the soapy liquid away from plants and shrubs.PHONEBOX GARDENING4. START BRUSHINGTake a hard-bristled brush and start scrubbing. When you start cleaning, you should notice the bristles breaking through the stains on top of your paving stones fairly easily. But keep going as hard as you can to dislodge all the dirt and mess. This keeps your patio looking clean while helping to prevent weeds by stopping germination.5. RINSE DOWNPlenty of clean water is now needed to rinse off the grimy solution and its disturbed dirt. The patio should look noticeably improved in looks. If you%u2019re not happy, let it all dry and then repeat the process, concentrating on the areas that you weren%u2019t happy with.6. CHECK THE JOINTSKeeping the joints clean is also important as they can also be damaged by weeds and muck, and start to break up. Regular sweeping and weed removal is important but any gaps created by this should be re-fi lled as soon as possible.Your patio should now be looking markedly better than it did and, with any minor gaps and holes fi lled, it will be ready for you when next summer comes around.